Too Far
by SummerBreeze101
Summary: AU. Haley is tutoring Nathan to the annoyance of her best friend. Just when she thinks that Nathan is too much of a jerk to waste her time on, a tragedy throws them together and shows them what love is. Please R&R. Lots of lovely NALEYness, also BL & JP
1. Default Chapter

**AN: Ok, this is AU in that it is set just when Lucas finds out about Haley tutoring Nathan, and what follows is completely different to what happens in the show. Ok? So if that's cleared up then, on with the story...**

"The good news is you did better and the bad news is better is a "D"." Haley to Nathan

Too Far

Chapter 1

Brotherly Love

Haley James took her 'ugly' hat from Lucas Scott in shock.

"I- I am so, so sorry Luke, I just..." she stuttered. God this was all a mess, she couldn't believe that she had allowed this to happen.

"Whatever Haley, I don't really care. All I know is that you lied to me, you know? Screw the fact that you've been seeing my worst enemy, in fact, go screw Nathan – and no, I do not mean that literally Haley," Lucas yelled. Haley fiddled with her ugly hat, feeling so ashamed and _so _bad.

"Lucas, I..."

"No! The only thing that gets me is that you saw him behind my back! You lied to me Hales, I can't forget that." Haley looked up at her best friend and her pretty brown eyes filled up with tears. She couldn't believe that this had happened, all over that jerk Nathan Scott!

"Please will you just..."

"I'm going Haley," Luke stated simply, before turning his back on her and doing as he had promised. Haley stared at the hat again and threw it across the room in anger and frustration. If only she could explain! She silently cursed Nathan Scott with all of the curse words she had ever heard, and wiped at her tears furiously. She had to set this straight, she couldn't let Lucas go around thinking she was some kind of bitch.

She threw her ugly hat on the floor and chased after her best friend.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, the cause of Lucas and Haley's argument was stood in a heaving mansion with loose alcohol and even looser teenagers, chatting up a pretty red head.

"So Francesca, I just broke up with Peyton..." he smirked cockily. 'Francesca' ran her tongue over her teeth and leaned in to him.

"Yeah, I heard. So, you're a free agent then?" she asked in a slightly high-pitched, breathy voice. Nathan flashed his trademark cocky smirk once more.

"As free as you want me to be".

"Yo Nate, my man!" Tim yelled into his ear. Nathan rolled his eyes and turned to his best friend.

"Busy here," he stated quietly. He turned round and resumed his flirting, when Tim tapped him on the shoulder annoyingly.

"But Natey, you're the only one who hasn't had a drink yet," he said obviously.

"What, it only started five minutes ago!" said Nathan incredulously.

"Hey, what can I say, we party hard!"

"Look, what's up?"

"We need more beer. I forgot to get the kegs from your house, and we've went through the caseload that David brought"

"What? In five minutes?"

"Like I said, we..."

"Yeah, yeah, 'party hard'. So you want me to go home and get the kegs?"

"Well, you're Mom and Dad are on that business dinner, so it's not like you're going to get caught. And a big strapping lad like yourself..."

"Tim, stop. You're kind of creeping me out now. I'll get the kegs ok".

"Thanks dude, I owe you!"

"Yeah, anything to make sure the party isn't a flop right?" said Nathan half sarcastically, thrusting his hands into the pocket of his letterman jacket and making his way out of the house.

* * *

Lucas clenched his fists into tight balls and released them, then repeated again. He was walking towards the river court, he felt too riled up to go home and play 'happy sons' with his mom.

"Lucas!" Lucas turned around to the source of the voice and saw Haley running his way. He clenched his fists into a tight ball again and counted to ten.

"What do you want Haley?" he asked coolly. Haley stopped in front of him and rested her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath.

"I am so unfit," she wheezed, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

"Who cares about physical fitness when you're tutoring a basketball player in the academic side of life?" said Luke icily. So that didn't work then.

"Look, I couldn't let you leave without knowing the full story Lucas".

"I don't care Haley"

"Well I do! Look, I am not 'seeing' Nathan behind your back, at least, not in the way you seem to think I am. I'm tutoring Nathan so that he'll get off your back, Ok?"

Lucas stared at her intently, trying to gauge out if she was being truthful or not. She was. So she was just being stupid.

"I thought you were smart Hales," he said, a little softer than previously.

"What – what do you mean?"

"Nathan is using you to get to me. Can't you see that?"

"God Lucas!" erupted Haley, causing him to flinch slightly. She tried to keep all of the thoughts running through her head in some kind of filter, and worked on not letting a single one of them slip past her lips. But it was just too hard. "Not _everything _is about you Lucas! Do you not think that thought hadn't crossed my mind? And you know, I'm sure it's partly true, but in case you didn't notice, Nathan has to keep his grades up to stay on the team, and his chance of college rests on that team Lucas. You know, maybe he genuinely needs a little help!" Lucas stared at Haley a little while, processing everything she had just said.

"It's not always about me," he said quietly, "It wasn't about me when you decided to keep your little, um, 'relationship' quiet now was it?" Haley threw her hands up in exasperation and was about to respond when the sound of a car horn pierced the chilly silence of the night.

"Jackass!" she yelled, not really sure why but just wanting to relieve her self of a little tension.

"Get out the road," yelled a familiar voice that caused both Haley and Lucas to freeze in position.

* * *

Nathan honked his horn again and whacked the steering wheel hard in frustration. His headlights meant that the two figures standing in the middle of the road were merely black silhouettes, with a slightly familiar outline. He squinted slightly and saw that the spiky hair of the taller of the two figures was blonde, and belonged unfortunately to Lucas Scott, his older half-brother.

Lucas was heading for the car now, 'he's walking like he's pissed off' Nathan noted and let himself out of his car before it got wrecked. Memories of Peyton's wreck flashed through his head and he tried to ignore the guilt that was constricting his chest.

"We need to talk," said Lucas angrily. Nathan slammed his door shut and took a look at the girl who had been standing beside Lucas and was now in the exact same position, rooted to the spot. It was Haley.

"Yeah?" he responded, crossing his arms tight across his chest. "Is this about Haley and I?" he asked. Haley, who had finally regained the feeling in her legs allowed herself a moment's elation on the fact that Nathan had just spoke proper English with no prompt, before swiftly joining them.

"You guys, I don't think this is a good idea," she said wisely. Nathan and Luke ignored her and carried on glaring at each other.

"I think that maybe you should get a new tutor," advised Luke quickly. Nate narrowed his eyes.

"I don't want a new tutor. After all, Haley is the best"

"Yeah, well I don't think that you deserve the best"

"Look, man, I know it must be hard that the only girl who has ever liked you, excluding your mom of course, is upgrading to a newer model – Hey, that's just like dad really". Lucas' eyes widened in anger and he lashed out for Nathan, managing to clip his cheek. Nathan raised a finger to where Lucas had hit him and looked at the blood on his finger. Without a word he jumped at Lucas, throwing them both onto the pavement where they fought like, well... brothers.

Haley mouth gaped open. She couldn't believe that Nathan had just said that, but she also couldn't believe that they had been talking about her like she wasn't there. She ran over to them and tried and failed to pull Nathan off Lucas but failed.

"What's going on?" yelled a voice from one of the houses near them. Lucas and Nathan ignored it and carried on brawling.

"Stop!" yelled Haley, "If you guys don't stop I'll scream and scream until someone calls the cops!"

Nathan jumped up off Lucas and stepped back, remembering the beer kegs in the back of his car.

"What's going on?" asked Lucas, scrabbling to his feet, "You punking out?"

"Whatever Lucas, this isn't over," Nathan yelled over his shoulder, getting into his car and driving away. Lucas wiped blood from the corner of his mouth and stared after him. Haley looked at him, at his normally pale blue eyes clouding over with something so dark and intense that it scared her. Something called hatred.

"I'm going Luke," she whispered hoarsely, knowing that she had to get away from him before he erupted. Luke didn't acknowledge her, just kept staring forward with those dark intense eyes.

Haley ran all the way back home, and didn't stop until she reached her bedroom, where she flung herself down onto her bed and proceeded to sob loudly.

**Well, that's it, I hope you like it! Not much really happened in this chapter, but I promise it will get exciting! Please give me feedback, I love it and need it. Also, it will push me into writing the next chapter faster! (Nothing like a little bribery eh?)**


	2. Tutoring

**AN: Wow, thankyou for all of the lovely reviews, they made my... week! Yay! Anyway, moving on, can I have a show of hands please (or reviews) telling me whether I should do Leyton or Brucas because I am totally torn. I love both Brooke and Peyton, and although I think Brooke and Lucas have more chemistry, I really like Peyton too and I think that they are so cute. The pairing with the most reviews will win – on with it...**

Chapter 2

Tutoring

Nathan waited impatiently for Haley to show up. She was ten minutes late, and the other people in the tutoring session were giving him strange looks like he actually _wanted _to be here. He clicked his pen impatiently. _In, out, in, out_. He received a couple of dirty looks but that wasn't his problem.

Finally she came in, taking all the time in the world like it wasn't important.

"You're late," he stated simply.

"No shit. I didn't think you'd be here," she replied, taking her jacket off and sitting down.

"Well, I wouldn't, but I got a hot date tonight and I need sometime to study for a Geography quiz tomorrow". Haley looked at him in amazement.

"You know what Nathan, how can you have the audacity to come swanning in here like it doesn't matter what you said to Lucas last night? That was low Nate, real low".

"Look, I don't give a shit about what I said to that Mommy's boy, and I can't believe that you're bringing this up during my tutoring session, it has nothing to do with this".

"You know what," Haley said, tilting her head to one side, "You're right it doesn't. And right now, I want nothing to do with you".

"What do you mean?"

"I think maybe you should find a new tutor". Nathan stared at her, one eyebrow lowering like it always did when he was annoyed, angry or sad. She couldn't tell which one it was.

"Haley, wait" he tried, grabbing her arm. Haley looked down at where is hand was and frowned at the bruising round his wrist. He tried to cover it up but he was too late.

"What was that Nathan?" she asked seriously. Nathan smiled his little smirk and shrugged.

"The biggest injury off that jerk last night". Haley couldn't tell whether he was telling the truth. It seemed reasonable enough, but she couldn't imagine getting that type of bruise off a sucker punch. "Look Haley, I need you to be my tutor ok? I just, I don't want to fail Geography, Principle Wilmer (**I don't know the principle's name, please just pretend for a while)** said that I needed it to stay on his good side about this whole 'getting kicked off the team business'. Hell, I won't even go on that date tonight"

Haley looked up at him. He was playing the 'sorry-I-was-an-arrogant-jerk-please-forgive-me-while-I-look-all-forlorn card. And she was totally going to fall for it.

"Fine, you know what, just fine," she sighed, pulling out a textbook. "Have you got your stuff?"

"Um yeah, listen, don't you kind of want to supervise me tonight. Make sure I study?" he said, cocky grin in place. Haley looked up at him.

"Got plans"

"Oh, well then how do you know that I won't go on the date? You do know that if I fail you lose points or whatever"

"Nathan, are you actually _trying _to get a new tutor?"

"Nah, I'm trying to get you in my bedroom". Haley felt her cheeks redden as he smiled at her.

"God Nathan, you are unbelievable"

"Is that a yes?"

"Only to study right?"

"Fine, if that's the way you want it".

"Whatever. Look, you better be damned grateful for this. Lucas is going to blow a fuse". He replied with a grin.

* * *

Haley rang the doorbell nervously, fiddling with her hands and biting her lip. A silhouette showed from behind the glass partition in the front of Nathan's huge house.

"Yeah?" said Dan Scott brusquely, the second he opened the door. Haley opened her eyes wide and took a deep breath.

"Um, hello Mr. Scott. I'm, er... I'm Haley James and I'm Nathan's tutor," she stuttered. Dan frowned.

"Nate's got a tutor?"

"It would appear so," said Haley jokily, shutting up as Dan's eyes narrowed.

"Hey Dad, who is it?" asked Nathan somewhat nervously from behind Dan.

"Some girl called Haley, she claims to be your tutor," answered Dan, his expression softening as he talked to the 'prodigal' son. The son who could do as he pleased and cause havoc, but still be forgiven by his father. Haley had always empathised with that sibling in childhood, now she felt more towards the jealous son. In essence, Luke.

"Oh Haley," said Nathan, appearing beside his dad. "Come on in". Haley stepped around Dan and followed Nathan up to his bedroom. Once inside she got a funny sensation in the pit of her stomach and goose pimples on her arms.

"Wow," she mused, "Never thought I'd be in Nathan Scott's bedroom". Nathan looked at her and laughed, pulling up some textbooks from his desk and setting them on the bed. He patted a space beside him and smirked.

"Bet you never thought you'd be on my bed either," he grinned.

"Oh no, it's always been my life's ambition to be on the same bed as Nathan Scott," she laughed sarcastically. She went and sat on the bed and picked up one of his books. "Okay, let's get started"

* * *

Lucas kicked the curb with his sneakers. He was stood outside Haley's house, waiting for her to respond to the stones being thrown at her window. It was 7:15 and Lucas was severely bored.

"Hey there stalker boy," came a familiar voice from behind him. He smiled and turned towards the source of the voice.

"Hey Peyton," he smirked, walking over.

"So, is it a hobby of yours to throw stones at girl's windows?" she asked, recalling the time that he'd done it to her.

"Only the really pretty ones," he teased, causing Peyton to blush a little.

"Why don't you just, oh I don't know, knock at the door or something?"

"Mr James got off his nightshift tonight and he scares me," whispered Luke.

"Aw, is Luke scared of the big bad daddy?"

"Petrified". Peyton laughed and looked down at her own sneakers.

"Would you like to..." started Peyton, but was cut off by the voice of her best friend.

"Hey Pey," yelled Brooke, crossing the road towards them. "And Luke," she added with a seductive pout.

"Hey Brooke," replied Peyton with a half-hearted shrug.

"You will never believe what I have to tell you," teased Brooke.

"Well then, you'd better just tell me"

"You know you like that new band, Rooney, and I just _adore _the singer?"

"Robert Carmine, Brooke, for the sixtieth time," laughed Peyton, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, whatever. Anyway, I got us tickets!" Peyton let out a small scream.

"What, how? I thought them tickets were like gold dust or something"

"What can I say Pey, I have connections".

"When is it?"

"Saturday night. I have a third ticket and I just _don't _know _who _to give it to," she said, waving the ticket in front of Luke.

"I'll have it if you're offering," laughed Lucas.

"Brooke, you don't even like Rooney," said Peyton incredulously.

"Well you do, and we just haven't been spending enough time together lately. And besides, I get to look at the talent," with the last statement, Brooke shot a cheeky wink at Luke.


End file.
